HSM Star Monique Coleman Opens Up About Her Miscarriage
When High School Musical’s Monique Coleman suffered a pregnancy loss, her fellow co-star Corbin Bleu was there for her like no other. After all, Wildcats stick together, even in the toughest of times.
In a recent interview with People magazine, Coleman revealed that she had a miscarriage before filming the new Lifetime movie, A Christmas Dance Reunion. The project, starring Monique Coleman and Corbin Bleu, aired on Friday, December 3rd. Coleman thought she would be pregnant during the filming in fall 2020—that is—before she miscarried in 2019.
Monique, who married Walter Jordan in 2012, has channeled her grief about her miscarriage into art. On Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day (Oct. 15) in 2019, she shared a short dance piece she filmed on Instagram.
The caption of the post read, “On August 7, 2019, I had a miscarriage. For the first time in my life, I couldn’t string together eloquent enough words to express what I had been through in a meaningful and impactful way. However, when I learned that 1 in 4 women experience this devastating and unexplainable loss I knew I couldn’t remain silent. I decided to use the language of dance to say what I couldn’t with words.”
She continued, “I pray that this piece promotes brave conversation & healing and above all makes our spirit baby proud #UNBORNtribute.”
Monique shared in her interview that during filming on October 15, 2020, Corbin and his wife, Sasha Clements lit a candle in her honor, sent her a photo and prayer and told her that they were thinking of her. Monique said she was really able to bond with them during the difficult time, and, even though she was quarantined in a room by herself, she never really felt alone.
This opens the door for other celebrities to share their miscarriage stories in hopes of helping others. Losing a baby in pregnancy through a miscarriage or stillbirth remains a taboo subject worldwide. Many women still do not receive adequate and respectful care when their baby dies during pregnancy or childbirth due to hospitals being under-resourced and understaffed. Women who lose their babies are made to feel that they should stay silent about their grief.
In the absence of specific answers, women are led to believe that they caused their own miscarriage by not strictly following the general advice on preventing it. This includes eating healthy, exercising, avoiding smoking, drugs and alcohol, limiting caffeine, etc.
All of this takes an enormous toll on women. Many who lose a baby in pregnancy can go on to develop mental health issues, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This can last for years, even when they’ve gone on to have healthy babies. This is why it’s so important for people with high profiles to help us realize that having a miscarriage is completely okay and that there are healthy ways to cope.
If you or someone you know is in need of support, there are various resources you can turn to, including:
Backline (1-888-493-0092), a free hotline that provides non-judgemental support to women facing a range of pregnancy outcomes.
Unspoken Grief, a website where families experiencing perinatal loss can tell their stories
“Unspeakable Losses: Healing From Miscarriage, Abortion, And Other Pregnancy Loss” by therapist Kim Kluger-Bell provides stories of women who have experienced pregnancy loss, as well as mourning rituals, practical advice, and resources to help with healing.